Merchandise checking device



Patented Nov. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MERCHANDISE CHECKING DEVICE Perry B. Jeffers, Philadelphia, Pa. Application November 29, 1946, Serial No. 713,148

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This invention has general reference to article and merchandise checking means with associated methods while it relates more particularly yto such means and methods useful in stores where articles of clothing are temporarily released by a sales-person, for try-on purposes and fitting, to a prospective customer or customers. rSuch procedure in many stores has heretofore entailed heavy losses, not infrequently amounting to large sums in actual shortages when a stockinventory was taken. For instance in departments handling ladies dresses, coats, suits, sportwear and kindred articles of clothing it has been found that the actual shrinkages have amounted to many lthousands of dollars. As a result I have made investigation to ascertain the real cause of such shortages and losses and, as a result thereof, it was discerned and proven that such shortages and losses were primarily due to the faulty manner in which merchandise was being handled when temporarily removed from. the display racks and released to prospective customers for trial fitting and so forth and return of samewhen not purchased-to said racks. As a specic example, in the dress department of one large store employing a considerable number of salesladies I noted that each one of them would help a customer select from one to a dozen pieces of merchandise, for instance dresses, and then show the customer to a fitting-room'to try-on the same, leaving the customer there and returning to the display licor to aid another customer make a selection, and so on. As a result many times a customer has been later found to have left the fitting-room uri-noticed or apparently not having made a selection, so that when the saleslady returned to the fitting-room she discovered some of the temporarily loaned articles missing or stolen. Furthermore, I also found in- .stances where dishonest sales-persons have had a relative or friend serve as a fake customer, visit the department, make a selection of several garments for a try-on and then conduct said customer into the fitting-room,` and -then return to the floor to wait on another prospective `customer. As a result the fake customer was left free to leave With stolen articles concealed under the outer attire of clothing. All or the foregoing has resulted in heavy and serious shortages being discovered when an inventory was taken. y

The primary object of myv invention is to eliminate such shortages and attendant losses by provision of a simple and positively effective checking device, and method of yoperating the same, whereby any shortage by theft or otherwise is 2 immediately detectable and promptly remediable.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a novel article or item, or a plurality thereof, checking device and method whereby the shop or department store as well as an individual or the sales-personnel thereof, is or are effectively safeguarded against the illicit removal or theft of articles such as tools, merchandise and other items; while financial losses are practically eliminated.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel garment and other wearing apparel checking device with an associated method of operation thereof, for use in connection with single and multiple fitting or try-on rooms having a common entrance and exit.

A still further object of this invention is to provide -a novel checking device which is comparatively cheap to manufacture and simple to operate; that can be readily installed; and which can be easily and accurately operated without expert training.

With the above stated and other objects in View this invention essentially consists of the novel device and means typically illustrated by the accompanying sheet of drawings, as well as the method of operating the same, hereinafter described and claimed; in addition to such modifications thereof ras may be reasonably read as coming within the terms and scope of the claim,

or may be obvious to those skilled in the art tol larger scale for better illustration of details hereinafter fully explained.

Fig. `3 is a broken horizontal section on th Y a further en-` plane III-III of Fig. 2, drawn to l-arged scale; and,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the identifying` tokens or checks, hereinafter fully described.

` In describing the form of this invention exemplied by the single sheet of drawings herewith specific terms will be employed for the sake of clarity, but it is to be understood the scope of said invention is not thereby limited; each` such term being intended to embrace all' reasonable equivalents which perform the same function for an analogous purpose.

Referring more in detail to the drawings the novel checking device conveniently, although not essentially, comprises a normally open front structure or cabinet comprehensively designated 5, and a removable closure 6 therefor. The structure or cabinet preferably comprises spaced side members 1 rigidly connected together at the upper ends by a transverse component 8, and at the bottom by back-and-front bracers 9, IU respectively. Attention is here directed to the fact that the side members 1 are complemental and conveniently of quadrilateral contour or, more specifically, each said side member 1 includes rear and front straight edges I I, I2, Fig. 2,`

of different length and both of which are inclined over from the vertical at dissimilar angles, while the upper and lower edges I3, I4 are horizontal and of unequal extent. In other words, each such side member 1 is of a shape to include diagonally related obtuse angles I5, and similarly opposing angles I6, so that the structure or cabinet 5 is of what may be conveniently defined as of lean-to formation, in side elevation, see Figs. 1 and 2. It is also to be observed that the top component 8 is transversely rabbeted at I1 in its underside terminal portions as to snugly seat on the top edges of the spaced side members 1, as well as being provided with opposed inner grooves I8 for the reception of an intermediate inclined partition I9; in addition to having rabbets along the inner rear edges at 29 which merge into a similar rabbet 2| lengthwise of the top component 8 for the insert engagement and securement of a back wall 22 for the device or cabinet 5, all as readily understandable by those conversant with the art.

Transverseli'7 between the side members 1 and seated on the front bracer Il), Fig. 2, is a lower bar 23 preferably of the rhomboidal cross-section shown in said gure, and a similar-section medially-located transverse-bar 2li which divide the space intervening said bar 23 and the top component 8 into equal parts, or upper and lower sections a, b, respectively. Each section a, b is vertically sub-divided by relatively-stepped and equally spaced transverse shelf-like elements 25, for example nine in number, with similarly spaced dividers 26, whereby said sections are further subdivided to deiine vertical tiers or columns of ten pigeon-holes 21 for the individual reception of associatedserial tokens or checksZB, the use whereof will be hereinafter more fully explained. Thus it .will be readily apparent that the several shelf-like elements 25 and dividers 26 define, in conjunction with the side member 1, top component 8, bars 23, 24, and inclined partition I9 jointly set apart individual columns for the serial checks 28. Incidentally, it is here to be noted, the respective shelf-like elements 25 are preferably rabbeted at their ends 29 into the inner faces of the side members 1 as readily understood from the right-hand portion of Fig. 3; while such elements 25 are provided with semi-circular spaced notches 30 medially located centrally of the re'atively associated pigeon-holes 21 to facilitate easy insertion and withdrawal of the checks 28.

Along the frontal inclined face of the top component 8, as well as that of the planarly-related. corresponding face of the transverse bar 24, I attach a holder 3l of appropriate section for the removable placement therein of a sequence of aligned indicator cards 32 individual to the subjacent and respectively associated serial column of pigeon-holes 21; each such card 32 bearing the number and name of the individual or salesperson to whom such column is assigned.

In order that the checking cabinet 5 may be closed and secured at the end of the sales period or day, said cabinet is preferably provided with a frontal baseboard or element 33 and side ttings 34, each of which is formed with grooves 35, and 36 respectively for the combined slidable reception of a substantially rectangular closure 6 including a head-piece 3-1 whereby said closure is entered into or moved from, the grooves 35, 36 in an obvious manner. For securing the closure 6 in active position use is conveniently made of a hinge device 38, hasp 39 and appropriate lock 48, Fig. 2 only, all as readily understood from Fig. 2 more particularly. It is also to be noted that the closure 6 additionally serves to prevent the tokens or checks 28 from becoming accidentally dislodged from the pigeon-holes 21 when the device or cabinet 5 is closed-up or falling out of place when the cabinet 5 is moved from one location to another.

Turning now to the tokens or checks 28, one of which is illustrated to best advantage by Fig. 4, the same are blanked-out, cut, or otherwise formed from ber sheet, or other appropriate material conveniently to the oval formation shown Afor example only, whereupon, or concurrently therewith, they are stamped with selected symbols such as the related serial number 4I of the column of pigeon-holes 21 to which they are primarily asigned; in addition to the department number 42, in which the device 6 is placed; as well as an article mark 43 indicative of the number of garments checked in or out thereby at any one or subsequent time, Within the maximum number allocated to each column of pigeon-holes 21; for instance in the case illustrated and being described a total of ten garments. Each token or check 28 may also include a marking 44 indicating the initials of the business house or the trade name of the merchant, firm, or company using the checking device or cabinets 5 and method of this invention.

The token or checks 28 may be made in various sizes and shapes as desired or convenient for the user as well as of numerous differing materials and colors. It is also to be understood that the checking device or cabinet 5 can be readily manufactured of numerous materials and at any price; while the cost of cutting, stamping and lettering the checks 2 8 will depend on the size of said check, the kind of material used, the amount of lettering thereon, and the number of said checks required for the cabinet 5.

From the foregoing, it is felt that the meritsand advantages of this invention will be clearly apparent; while it is to be distinctly understood the typical embodiment disclosed is in no respect limitative. Accordingly the scope of this invention is to be construed only by reasonable interpretation accorded the following claim.

transverse bars intermediate the top and bottom. of the cabinet said bars being spaced inwardsv relative to the front and rear inclined edges of the cabinet side walls, with the lower of said bars seated on top of the front bracer; an intermediate inclined partition fitting in opposed grooves in the cabinet side Walls and in the transverse component; vertically-spaced shelf-like elements, each including a front notch and having their rear edges in abutment with the inclined partition; interval dividers respectively between the top component and the transverse bars to jointly define a series of columns of comparatively shallow pigeon-holes for the reception of individually associated identifying checks, each said check being of a contour and size for easy insertion and withdrawal; and a front closure, engageable in opposed grooves in the cabinet side Walls, for the cabinet when not in use and also serving to prevent the checks from accidental dislodgment or falling out of the respectively associated pigeon-holes when the cabinet is moved about.

PERRY B. JEFFERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are oi record in the i'lle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 255,771 Carpenter Apr. 4, 1882 621,592 Whitney Mar. 21, 1899 635,182 Perry Oct. 1'7, 1899 15 1,205,604 Dungan Nov. 21, 1916 2,849,140 Schick July 28, 1936 2,132,652 Schmiedemann Oct. 11, 1938 2,331,655 Colwill et al Oct. 12, 1943 

